JAMES WHO?

Bond. James Bond. Perhaps the most recognisable reply to the question: “Who are you?”. The man behind the name takes his martini shaken, not stirred, drives the most expensive cars in the world, and dates the most beautiful women. However, he is also known by the codename 007. This legendary code number is supposed to mean that the agent holding it is “licensed to kill”. Or does it? There are many theories about Ian Fleming’s inspiration regarding his agent’s name and code number. The truth is, “James Bond” and “007” are anything but mysterious or fascinating in real life. The author revealed the truth about his character’s name, saying in an interview: “When I wrote the first one in 1953, I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull , uninteresting man to whom incredible things happened; I wanted him to be a blunt instrument . When I was casting around for a name for my protagonist , I thought James Bond is the dullest name I have ever heard”. He was at his estate in Jamaica when he found the name in a bird watching guide he happened to own. It belonged to the American ornithologist Dr. James Bond. With a name at the ready, Fleming now had to find a code number, too. When he moved to Kent in the mid fifties, he visited London quite often. He commuted there and back by coach, which he took from Dover. Then when he moved to Canterbury, he took the same bus from the Cathedral town’s bus station. The number of the bus route? 007. (Reading text adapted from art-sheep)